Meter-box.



H. W. CLARK.

METER BOX.

APPLICATION. F|LED JAN,15, 1915.

Patented May 7,1918.v

2 SHEETS*SHEET l.

H. W. CLARK.

METER BOX.

APPLICATION man JAN. 1s. 1915.

L Patented May 7,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HiI rif than eras artnr mit.

nonnen w. CLARK, or marifoon, rttinois, Assrenon ro H. W. CLARK oo., orA

' Mnrroon, Instincts. a. conronnrron or trainers. n

METER-nox.

Specification of Letters Patent.

incanta.

ratentea nay 'a reis.

application mea January 15, i915. serial no. 2,340. i

`portion to provide suiiicient room for and access to the meter and in some cases toa shut-olf cock and other fittings, and anupper cylindrical portion of considerably less diameter connected to the lowerportionby a horizontal wall was usually covered with earth or iilling to `lessen the exposed area of the top of the box. These boxes are madezof such depth that they will extend considerably below the frost line to prevent freezing and of suiiicient diameter to provide the requisite radiation area for the warm earth at the bottom of the box.l As a result of forming these boxes of sutlicient size to perform their intended purpose, of sutiicient strength to resist the stresses` exerted around them by the ground or filling around the box and upon the horizontal wall adjacent the top, theseboxes have been heavy and cumbersome, so that the transportation charges in shipment from the factory to the place of use were high and considerable labor was necessary in setting them in place.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved box which can beformed of comparatively thin metal or sheet metal if desired, and which, inpractice, will possess the necessary strength to resistthe stresses to which `it is-subjected when it isembedded in the ground and to provide a construction which makes itvp'ossible to lessen thewcight and bulk of the boxes in transportation.

This object is attained by forming the surrounding wall of the box conoidal or tapering from the base upwardly. By thus forming the box with a large portion at the bottom, the space necessary for radiation area, for the meter and the shut-oli' `cock or other Aappliances and for wrench-room in installing orsetting the appliances, will be provided and the reduced `upper end is ot .theproper size-to leave anopening of sut iicientsize for easy access tothe meter. Furthermore, such ferm elysthe iml sumn cient strength to eectively resist the stresses to which it is subjected from the filling varound `the outside with walls of minimum thickness. In shipping these boxes, it is also ypossible to" nest them so that a-large number of'them will occupy but little more space than one, which could not be done n ith the boxesheretoforeused to my knowledge.

A further object of the invention is to z providean improved locking device for`securing the cover to the body of the box.

Other-objects of the invention will be apparent from the'specitlcation hereinafter set forth. I` The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more parlticulafrly defined by'claims at the conclusion ereo In the drawings: Figure-1 isa perspective 4of a box embodying the invention Fig.` 2 is a vertical section takenon line 2--2 `of F .3.. Fig, 3 is an inverted plan of the cover with the locking mechanism thereon. F ig.

a isa perspective of the cover, the-locking- `t bolts and the key-operated bolt shifter `disassembled. Y Fig. `5 is apdetail section of *the cover taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3^.

The body 10 of the improved box is conoiwall'ot' unusual thickness to give it the requisite strength is avoided. In practice, iti has'been found that a boxof this form,

dal in` form `from substantiallyv the bottom when formed of sheet metal, as shown in 1 Fig. 1 of the drawings, will be of sufficient `strength so that when it is embedded in the ground, it will not yield to the pressureof the surrounding ground. `If the box is formed of a casting, the wall may be colni paratively thin without impairing the eftL ciency of the box.` The taper of the boxis suflicient to provide the necessary radiation area in the lo-wer'portion of the, box and around the pipes and appliances therein, and

to leave an opening at the top of sufficient area for access to andfexamination of the meter and appliances. By vproviding the .large portion of the conoidal box at the bottom2 the ,llesslly Space for the ymeter .1.2, s

shut-.off A,cock -14 or additional appliances if desired and for the manipulation of tools on the appliances is provided. An outwardly vextending llange 11 is formed at the lower end of the lbox to support the box.

The smaller end of the conoidal body is disposed at the top and is adapted to receive a cover 15. An internal flanges 16 isformed on the upper end of body 10 to form a support for the marginal portion of the cover.

, The box 10 and flange 11 are cut away at 'and itis advantageous to 4avoid. the use of a ylarge coversorv particularly one as large as the-base-portion toreduce the unprotected area of the'box." By employing a'conoidal box with its small end uppermost, the cover Twill be considerably smaller in diameter than the base-port ion to lessen the exposed area of the box, wit-hout the necessity of having a horizontal wallfor shoulders extending inwardly from thes'ide of the `boxbody. f

The covers for meter boxes are locked to prevent unauthorized persons from having access'to thev appliances therein.l The presen t vinvention designsyto provide an' im- `provedlock for securing the cover to the box-body. This lockingdevice comprises a pair of locking bars 18 and 19 which are slidably 'mounted in anouter flange l20 and an inner flange 21, both of which flanges are integrally Aformed with and on the bot tom of the cover 15,. The outer ends of these bars are adapted to slide under the flange 1 6 on the upperend ofthe box-body.

Bar 18 is guidedin a slot 22 and a notch 23 in thel inner flange 21 and in a slot 24 inl the'outer iiange 20. The'locking-bar 19 is ysimilarly guided in a slot 25 and notch 26 inv fiange 21 and in a slot 27 in the outer flange '20.' The longitudinal movement of each of these-bars is limited by lugs l28 on Athe bottom ofand integral with the cover 15.

Eachof these lugs is extended into a notch 29' in one of thevlocking bars, the ends of lwhichy are adapted to strike the lugs `to limit the sliding movement of the bars. These lock-ing bars are adapted to be shifted in opposite directionsrto lock Jthe cover at substantially diametrically opposite points `and to be conjointly retracted by a rotatable key-operated shifter-plate 30, which is held adjacent the bottom of the cover by the locking-bars. This plate is recessed,'as at 3,1, to fit around a boss 32 on the underside lof' the cover, and is journaled on said boss.

This plate is formed with oppositely disstuds 34 on the locking bars respectively,

are extended so that these bars will be shifted by the end-walls of these arcuate slots. The cover is formed with a key-slot 35 through which a suitable key 3G with an offset lug 38 is adapted to be extended. Plate 30 is formed with a correspondingly shaped slot 37, which is adapted to receive the key. The lug 38 on the key when in slot 37 is adapted to rotate the plate. Slots 37 and 35 are in registration when the cover is locked and when the cover is unlocked they are out of registration, so that the lug 38 will engage the underside of boss 32, and therefore the key will serve as a lifter, or handle for the cover.

In operation, assuming the locking bars to be retracted, and the cover tobe unlocked and in position upon the Vbox-body, the inserted key may be rotated to turn plate 30 which will cause studs 34 on the locking bars to be forced outwardly to bring their outer terminals under the flange '16 of the body 10, to lock the cover in place. Reverse rotation of the key and plate 30 will edect the withdrawal of the bolts. The keyslot 35 in cover 15 is of substantially the samev form as the slot 37 in plate 30 and when the plate has been turned to position to withdraw the bolts, the lug 38 will prevent the key' from being withdrawn until the locking-bars have beenshifted to their locking position. As a result, the key may be utilized as a lifter for the cover. A spring-clip 40 is secured to shifter-plate 30 and'is extended at 41 into that portion of the key-slot 35 through which the key-lug y'3 8 passes to lock the plate 30 against rotation relatively to the cover and to force the key out of slot 37 when the slots in the cover and t-he plate are in registration. This extension 41 will be pushed dowinvardly b v the lug 38 on'the key when the key is inserted to release the locking-plate.

The rotation of plate 30 is limited by a lug 42, which is disposed in a segn'fental cut-away portion 43 of the plate. An inclined or wedge cam 44 is formed on the bottom of the cover inwardly of ange 21. This cani or wedge is adapted to engage the, marginal portion of plate 30 to cause the shifter-plate to be jammed between the locking-bars and the bottom of the cover to hold the plate against rotation.

A flanged cap 45 is held on the flange 21 to prevent material from falling through the key-slots into the box, and also serves to prevent the passage of cold air into the box.

The invention thus exemplifies a meterbox which has great strength with a minimum amount of weight which results in a low cost of manufacture. The enlarged portion provides sufficient room for the'applianc'es therein and room for turning' the Wllnch' in changing or operating the' appli ances and also gives the requisite radiation area for warm earth at the bottom of the box to insure moderate temperature in the box and resultant protection from freezing. The tapered construction makes it possible to nest the boxes in shipment, and together with their lightness, materially reduces the transportation charges and lessens the cost of installation. The improved cover-locking mechanism is simple in construction, can be produced at a low cost and is efficient in operation.

rIhe invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modied within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Iletters Patent, is:

1. In a meter box, the combination o' a body having an open top, a removable cover for the top, a locking-bar slidably connected to the underside of the cover, a key-operated rotatable shifter-plate for said bar and a lost-motion connection between said plate and said bar.

2. In a meter box, the combination of a body, having an open top, a removable cover for the top, a plurality of locking-bars slidably mounted at the underside of the cover, a rotatable key-operated plate for shifting said bars in opposite directions and a lostmotion connection between said plate and said bars.

3. In a meter box, the combination of a body, having an open top, a removable cover for the top, a locking bar slidably mounted at the underside of the cover, a rotatable key-operated plate, and a stud-and-slot connection between the bar and said plate.

4. In a meter box, the combination of a body having an open top, a removable cover for the top, a plurality of locking bars slidably mounted on the underside of the cover, a rotatable key-operated plate and stud-andslot connections between the bars and said plate for shifting the bars in opposite directions.

5. In a meter box, the combination of a body, having an open top, a cover for closing said top, flanges on the underside of the cover having a slot and a notch therein and a locking bar slidably mounted in said slots and notch.

6. In a meterbox, the combination of a body, having an open top, a removable cover for closing said top, flanges on said cover having slots and notches therein, locking bars slidably mounted in said slots and notches and key-controlled means for shifting the bars in opposite directions.

7. In a meter-box, the combination of a body having an open top, a removable cover for closing said top, a key-operated rotatable plate, a locking-bar operated by said plate, and a cam Jfor holding the plate in locked position.

8. In a meter box, the combination of a body having an open top, a cover for closing said top, a key-operated rotatable plate, locking bars operated in opposite directions by said plate and a cam on the cover for holding the plate in locked position.

9. In a meter box, the combination of a body having an open top, a removable cover for closing said top, a key-operated rotatable plate, and a spring for locking said plate, said cover having a key-hole therein into which the spring is extended so that it will be engaged by the key.

10. In a meter-box, the combination of a body having an ope-n top, a removable cover for closing said top, a key-operated rotatable plate, a locking-bar slidable on the cover and operated by said plate, and a spring for locking said plate, said cover and plate having a liey-hole therein into which the spring is extended so that it will be engaged by the key.

1l. In a meter box, the combination of a body having an open top, a cover for closing said top, the latter having a key-hole therein, a key-operable locking device, and a removable cap beneath the cover.

12. In a meter box, the combination of a body, having an open top, a removable cover for closing said top, a flange on the underside of the cover, the latter having a key-hole therein, a key-operable locking device, and a removable cap on said flange and beneath the key-opening.'

HORACE W. CLARK.

Witnesses:

DWIGHT P. CHILD, D. G. FRENCH.

@epica et thm patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Batents, Washington, JD. G. 

